About to stop keeping chickens because of my father.... *RANT*

[Attack Chicken]

It's been about a year and a half since I got started on raising/showing my chooks. It seems like EVERY SINGLE DAY my father comes home and complains about my birds. I feed,water,clean,bath, dust an whatever else has to be done for them and he doesn't do anything besides eat the fruits of their labor (eggs). I love my birds to death and won't let anything happen to them. For instance... last Suday I came home from a poultry show and Cotton (showgirl roo) thought he was top bird until I brought Bubba home ( my blue bantam wyandotte roo) which I had taken him to be shown. Of course the two get into a little fight over who in dominate. Finally after cleaning them up from a little blood and separating them I come in and he's calling me a "blank" fighter..... This upsets me really bad and into tears everytime I walk into the livingroom.....Today another thing happened.. I came home from my friends (was dark then and already had all the birds put up) and he starts yelling at me saying I don't take care of my chickens and blah blah blah... I have two girls that live inside upstairs in the living room. I get them out to let them walk around and eat some treats and my father says " You don't take care of your chickens do you?" I say yes I do more than you so shut up (o course I was furious..... He says "I'll turn you in to the humain society for chicken abuse or you can just get rid of them".... I yell back and say "just shut up,I'm never going to get rid of my birds". Of course I'm in tears now crying all over the living room and he has to go and say " Wellif you don't get rid of them I will then".... So every morning I wake up and the first thing I do is check on my birds... It's not fair to me of living with this kind of fear of waking up and my beloved babies are gone... Almost everyday I'm in tears because of him...



Sorry for the long rant ,but as of right now I hate were I live and I wish that my father would just move out or something but yet again he's so lazy....So thats my whole day...

 

[The Wolf Queen]

How about you kick his keaster to the curb and dont share the eggs with him. He has no reason to be an idiot and insult you every single chance he gets. Im sorry but he really needs a life or something.

 

[Wifezilla]

Need more details on the living arrangement before I can comment. Are you a minor or adult? Is it your house or his?

 

[FireTigeris]

Are you an adult? If he freeloading, or is it his house? When he gets home from where?


I'm confused.

Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Attack Chicken]

<age removed> My mother and father aren't divorced... Usually we get along fine but when it comes to chickens he can get very nasty.. I'm hoping to get into vet tech school and keeping chickens is very good just for avian biology. This isn't my house but they both said I am welcome to stay here as long as I can.


It's weird... back when the county fair rolled around he was always up bright and early and ready to go open up the poultry barn. He always commented on how cool of birds they are and how they lay wonderfull eggs, but I guess theres always a bad side to a good side.


Other wise we are fine. We go hunting ans fishing together. I clean the game ,fish or whatever we bring home LOL

 

[redhen]

I'm sorry..it may not seem fair. But until you have your own place to live as an adult you have to follow his rules. And by telling him to shut-up....if you were my kid..i'm sorry, but the birds would really be gone. Again sorry..its just my opinion. AND..i do understand how you must feel though..it dosent seem that he is being very fair to you..but...it is his house. good luck!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Have a sit down talk with him. Let him know you appreciate all the things he does for you, the fact you live in his house, and the time you hunt together. Then explain to him how much it hurts when he criticizes you and your birds. Let him know how much they mean to you. Do this calmly and with as much self control as you can. He probably doesn't realize what he is doing. Good luck.

 

[3goodeggs]

I PMed you, but please understand that if you normally get along with your dad, then something is really bothering him. Sometimes parents are the ones who lack communication skills as well. So you need to try and talk to him calmly and sincerely about what is exactly bothering him. It IS his house, and maybe he feels left out in the coop, so to speak.
I would not advise anyone to tell their parents to 'Shut up." It all heads down hill from there.
Sometimes children need to be the mature ones in some situations. You should get the respect you give. I know it does not always go that way. But try, try, try again and again.

 

[Attack Chicken]

I', just thinking about giving up all my birds so this won't happen anymore... Basically thats what some are saying to do....

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I think you need to have a good talk with your parents--find out what the real problem is, and see what you can do to alleviate those issues. If you can talk more easily to your mother, she may be able to serve as an initial go-between, but realize that ultimately you will need to talk to your dad.

On a message board we cannot see the connotations of what is said and how it is said. In person, body language and tone of voice are apparent. The issue may not actually be your birds, but something else about you--grades, household chores, whether you have a job or not, etc. Or it could be something entirely unrelated to you--his job security, finances, relationships, health, politics, .... trying to guess is endless.